she always smiles
by Silverchild of the winds
Summary: A looks into Botans past, suggests that her cheerines is for her friends sake. Chapter 27 now here, the prose chapters are complete
1. she always smiles

She always smiles  
She's always full of cheer  
Lifting others spirits when  
They are in tears.  
But who can see that  
Her cheer is a mask  
To help her get though  
Her difficult task.  
Her friends think she's always  
Carefree as a butterfly  
So she has no one to cheer her  
When she cries.  
So the mask stay on  
And she's perky as ever  
While hiding her pain  
Do they notice? Never.  
She knows it's not good  
To hide so much pain  
But she's the one they count on  
To be cheery through the rain. 


	2. are you an angel

"Damn you, grim reaper." "Whoever took my baby will pay." Thief. "What happened" the little boy asked, "Why are my friends yelling and cursing like someone died. "Then it hit him he was dead. He started to cry. He felt someone hug him. He turned and saw a pretty teenager with blue hair wearing a pink kimono with a huge smile and friendly lavender eyes. She smiled and said "hi!" the boy started to laugh, her cheeriness was contagious.  
  
Boton smiled, glad that she had managed to comfort her new charge. When he stopped laughing he asked her "are you an angel"  
  
"Close enough" she said not wanting him to know that she was the grim reaper.  
  
You've come to take me to heaven, haven't you?" he asked her happily.  
  
"Bingo" she replied materializing her oar, "hop on"  
  
He obeyed and they headed off to rekai. But despite Boton's apparent cheerfulness, the curses of his family were ringing in her ears. 


	3. Yuske in trouble

Botan stumbled back to her room. The little boy had been the 50th soul she had to ferry that day and she was exhausted. The curses of his family and the families of all the others still rang in her ears. She knew that she wasn't responsible for the death but still the curses of family and friends always hurt her. But she kept up her Bubbly appearance for the sake of those she had to guide.  
  
Every last nerve she had was worn out so Botan didn't even bother to undress before collapsing into her bed.  
  
Mean while  
  
Gee Urameshi would you please give me some help. KuaBara (I know that's spelled wrong) asked. Hn, He's busy with his own problem heai muttered. The rekai tantai had been ambushed by a group of A class Yokai With purple skin that oozed an acid to cause severe pain and damage. Kuabarra and Heia had managed to avoid injury, none of the others had been so lucky.  
  
Kuabarra had been asking for help, while clearly he was the best off of the 3. Kurama had managed to use his rose whip to kill his attacker, but before the monsters claws had torn a hole in his stomach. While Yuseke had somehow managed to get a bout twenty of the beasts surrounding him and had hurt his gunning arm severely when He tried to punch the demon.  
  
When The Tall red head saw how much his friends were suffering He put en extra burst of strength on to his spirit sword and managed to kill the 3 demons he was fighting before joining the rest. Buzz. Boton's alarm woke her from her sleep after only about two hours. What is it? She asked Koenma. "Trouble on yuske's mission" he answered her, "go help them" Boton nodded and despite her exaustion materialized her oar and flew off to help her friends. 


	4. Long time no see

Disclaimor I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, so please do not sue me . Especialy not Mary Sue. Sorry could'nt resist  
  
Botan sighed; She was starting to give up on finding Yusuke and the others. Koenma never was very exact about his instructions. It wasn't that she had been looking for long but she had so little energy left that she doubted she'd be much help when she did.  
  
There were way to many of the purple yokai to fight off. The group had managed to kill about half of them but they were still surrounded. Hiei had to unleash the black dragon, which got rid of the yokai quickly and also made enough noise for Botan to hear it. She flew into the cave only seconds later. Kurama and Kuwabara went ahead to find the treasure that the yokai had stolen, while Hiei rested from using the darkness technique and Botan healed Yusuke's arm.  
  
Another person had also heard the noise. A new yokai by far the most powerful of the group appeared This One had the humanoid appearance of most upper class demons with Amber eyes that seemed cold as ice and long black hair falling in shags to his waist .He wore simple black clothing and a half moon necklace around his neck. The demon that seemed to be cold as ice, yet quick to battle started to attack. Meanwhile Botan was using her healing powers on Yusuke's arm, while encouraging the group with all of her usual perkiness, which had been hard to do considering her exhaustion.  
  
Because Botan had been focusing on Yusuke's Injury she hadn't seen this new demon. When she finished she looked at him for the first time and paled considerably. The demon looked her in the eyes and said with menace in its voice, "Hello Jenna. "Long time no see." The demon took a step towards the group, but it didn't get far.  
  
"Spirit gun" Yusuke fired his gun and it hit the target, Knocking the demon out. He turned to Botan and asked, "What was that about" But He got no answer for Botan had fainted.  
  
Authors note Why did th demon scare her so much and who is Jenna? 


	5. Jenna

The girl was running, running away, "Coward, Jenna reproached herself, "wimp" She knew she should go back, knew she couldn't survive life away from her town, But she couldn't face the teasing, she got for her bright blue hair, and lavender eyes.  
  
Her odd looks and the way she hated to do housework but would willingly clean out the stable, and said the strangest things, led the village to fearing and mocking her. They called her demon's child, said that god had started to make her and then realized she wasn't worth it, so had given her to the devil.  
  
Jenna always acted like it didn't bother her but it did. Even though she doubted that god and the devil were like the folk at church said. Every once in awhile she would sense a true demons presence, and was well aware that death was far from what they said it was like.  
  
So she was running away. Jenna had run for miles already and was quite tired. She sat down to rest and when she woke up. She was in a cave staring up at a man with long black hair amber eyes and a moon charm around his neck.  
  
Yusuke looked down at his unconscious friend. He was confused by the demon's words, but being Yusuke didn't think much about it, Hiei however, got busy thinking about the way Botan had fainted at his words. Obviously they had known each other, During the ferry girl's human life. Most likely she'd been called Jenna, but why would that have caused her to faint.  
  
He didn't have much time to mull over it, as Kurama, and Kuwabara got back with the treasure that had been stolen. "Hey what's wrong with Botan" Kuwabara asked. The feeling he was getting from her was close to that of doctor Ichigakis team, but not quite the same.  
  
Kurama had already seen her on the floor and had felt something was wrong. He answered Kuwabara's question. "It seems she overexerted her self." The kitsune wasn't speaking the whole truth, and they all knew it, but that was the only physical cause he could find.  
  
"Well, there's nothing we can do about it" Yusuke said as he leaned down to pick up his ferry girl friend. The group left the cave, Only Hiei heard the word that Botan Uttered in her sleep, ". demon?"  
  
Authors note. 1) The chapter starts with Botan's dream or rather a flashback to her life as Jenna. 2) Jenna lived in Puritan Europe I'd say about 9th century, which is a subject I know nothing about so bear with me.  
  
3) There is a reason I'm having Hiei be the one to catch the last word out of her mouth, and will be for most of the story, and the reason has something to do with his sister. 


	6. Lily

Disclaimor. I own Yu Yu Hakusho even less than I can spell disclaimor, which according to my spell check is not at all.  
  
Jenna was confused, this demon seemed to be nice but something was evil about him. She stayed with him for a week before she realized that Her strength was leaving her. He seemed nice enough but he watched her carefully, with his moon pendant around his neck glowing. She realized that he was draining her life with it but it was too late for her.  
  
As soon as Jenna realized this she tried to run away but it was useless. The demon caught her right away and she was too weak to fight at all.  
  
A little girl sat at her loom. She was a skilled dweller for her five years, as she worked she let her mind drift to her sister. Jenna had been missing for a week now. The town's folk simply said. "Good riddance" but lily missed her sister dearly. The town's folk said that Jenna was a demon child, due to her odd looks, but Lily knew better. She herself had Blue hair that was dark enough to be thought of as black by the elders, who had lost their sight, and her eyes were a shade of purple that could be taken as blue.  
  
Lily knew that they were lying because she had odd looks herself, and was never teased for them. But children don't care about that at her young age.  
  
The young girl had let her mind drift and had been paying attention to her weaving, which had turned out to be a picture of a peony, Jenna's favorite flower.  
  
Lily decided to go out and save her sister. She was a young child so she never even considered that Jenna might not want to be brought back or that Jenna was beyond or help.  
  
And she definitely didn't realize that her reckless act would be her end.  
  
That night Jenna heard a scrambling sound at her the cave entrance. She went to investigate and what she saw there was a total surprise. "Lily go home!" she screamed. Lily screamed Back "If You come with me" The little girl had paused long enough to get a present to give Her sister and Had woven her a beautiful red hair ribbon, and used it to tie together her weaving from earlier which she gave Jenna At that moment. Jenna ADMIRED HER SISTERS weaving skills, before Yelling At her sister; YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE COME HERE. I CAN'T GO BACK TO THAT HORRIBLE TOWN! GO BACK NOW!!!!!!!!  
  
She was so loud and sounded so angry that Lily assumed Jenna didn't like her anymore. She ran and hid under Jenna's bed and burst into tears.  
  
Neither girl realized that the demon had heard the noise and woken up.  
  
A.N. Do you like Lily, I need help if you review please give a suggestion for the demons name.  
  
Yes, I know None of the other characters from the show are in this chapter. 


	7. The sisters perish

. The group had returned the stolen item to Koenma and put Botan on the couch in Yusuke's apartment hours ago. Yusuke was starting to worry about her as she had not awaken yet and appeared to be having a nightmare. He prayed his mother wouldn't return any time soon.  
  
Lily was hiding under the bed, Jenna Was mad at her sister for having come to her. Both girls weren't exactly in an observant mood at the moment, so it was a shock when the demon came and started yelling.  
  
"How dare you let an intruder in! He screamed. "You will be punished for that with death." As he took out a knife, Lily forgot about her fear and rushed out in a mad dash. She got up close and bit down on his knife arm. The demon howled and dropped his knife but he also threw Lily off of him into the cave wall.  
Jenna ran over to her sister and Checked for damage. The wounds were pretty nasty but Lily might survive. Jenna STOOD Guard over Lily in case this demon wanted to kill her little sister and would finish the job. Her concern wasn't misled, but her attempt was fruitless. -=========================================================================== ======== Yusuke watched over his friend for quite a while. He gave up on her waking up. He walked out the door and headed off to school (a.n. He doesn't want Keiko sapping him again.) He Just narrowly missed her cry, "LILY" Botan watched in horror as her mind played out the scene of her death, and her sister's demise. She was familiar with what happened up to the point where she, As Jenna, had gone to her sister and been killed. She'd had a ferry girl come for her right away so she had never found out what happened to Lily. Now she had to watch what happened afterwards and it was not comforting in the least.  
  
The demon moved over to the sisters, and gave Jenna a hard Blow on the head. The teen crumpled and died. She had fallen in a position so that her body would have pinned Lily to the floor even if the five-year-old had been awake and unhurt. As it was her weight was enough to wake Lily, just before the young girl was sucked into his moon necklace, to be denied life or death. ============================================================================ =====  
The nightmare was complete and Botan woke up. Remembering Lily, she thought, "Maybe Hiei is right to keep his secrets form Yukina." She wasn't aware that Hiei was listening to her. 


	8. found her place

"I wander what the ferry onna meant by that." Hiei muttered to himself. " She's normally the one to start to let it slip to Yukina." Hiei heard a noise in the house and not wanting Botan to see him there left.  
Botan was at the time struggling to get off the couch and not succeeding. She finally gave up on it and lay back down. Her mind filled itself with the memories of what she had dreamed.  
"Poor Lily" she cried, "I'm sorry that you had to get involved in my death" As she fondly fingered the red hair ribbon that Lily had woven her she allowed the events of her time in the afterlife. = = = = = == = == ==== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = == = == = = = = == = = = = = == = = == == = A girl with black hair flew at Jenna's ghost; She just said hop on her lets go see Koenma. Jenna had never been a girl to ask questions so she did as she was told. Along the way, her guide explained who Koenma was and that Jenna would become a guide like her.  
  
Jenna was quite shocked and more than a little scared to see how big King Enma's castle was. When she saw the small child ruler, she couldn't help laughing, It was a funny sight to see, a bunch of monsters (the oni, remember Jenna is from Christian Europe so she wouldn't know what they were) Obeying a toddlers every command, and she was naturally perky to begin with.  
  
What is so funny? Koenma asked her. Immediately Jenna stopped laughing and curtsied for him.  
"Forgive me sir, but I wasn't expecting a child to be ruling  
here." He answered " most people don't, but I am in charge here, and I  
think that you should start training Botan right away" turning to her  
guide.  
"Botan?" The Blue haired girl asked.  
Koenma assigns everyone a new name when they start to work here, Her  
guide explained, "In a few years you won't remember your old life or  
name"  
"Oh I see" the newest ferry girl said, and then added with conviction,  
" I like the name he gave me."  
  
Later when Botan was alone in her new room, she was shocked to  
see that she was still holding Lily's gifts to her, but wasted no time  
tying the ribbon into her hair. She was happy now, having finally  
found a place for herself. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = === =- = = == = = = = == = = = = == = = = = == = = == = = = = = == = = = == = Botan sighed; sure she had found her place, but that had been at the cost of her sister's life. And Lily hadn't even died. Rekai hadn't lied when they said she would lose her memories but, the demon that had killed her had brought them back and none were particularly pleasant. She didn't want to dwell on them and besides she was hungry, so she tried to get up to make a snack. This time she managed to get off of the couch and standing but had to sit back down due to not having the energy to pick through the mess that Atsuko kept the house. 


	9. Come with us

Botan had finally made it to the kitchen, but as soon as she had managed to pick her way through all the mess, she was dismayed to find that there was no food in the house. By now it was 2:00 and she was very hungry.  
  
With a deep sigh the deity gave up on getting food, and started to pick up the mess all around the house. Although She had always hated housework when she was alive, She still had the habits of a 10th century girl, so it was that task she chose to keep her mind off of her growling stomach, and cleaning did give her some of her more pleasant memories. = == = = = = = == = = = = == = = == = = == = = == = = ========= == = = = ============= ============ "Jenna' you're missing spots" her mother shouted. Jenna sighed; Her mother was always on her case. The leaves were starting to fall, and the women were cleaning the house before winter came. Even the 4-year-old Lily was helping, although her small size meant she couldn't do much.  
  
Lily saw what Jenna was missing and crawled through the portion of the house that her sister was cleaning, her dress picked up every spot of dirt that was on the floor over there. The mother shook her head, why did Lily Like her odd sister so much, Lily was good most of the time but she refused to keep her dress clean and always took sides with her nuisance sister. By the end of the day, the two girls had her on the end of her rope. += = = == =========================== ================= ==================== =======  
  
Botan giggled at the memory as she finished straightening the kitchen. Yusuke came in with food as soon as she was finished. Needless to say Botan ate ravenously. When her appetite had somewhat calmed down she noticed that the spirit detective looked quite stressed. "What is it?" she asked him. Yusuke was also eating so he had to swallow his food before saying, "It's that demon from yesterday, He killed Seven girls today and seems to have eaten their souls, and is now making terror for Makai. Koenma says that we have to leave right away and you need to come with us. 


	10. romantic interludesort of

The Rekai tantei felt quite unhappy about their new mission. Hiei was mad anytime he was called but this time his anger was curbed by curiosity about Botan's past. Kurama who was a thief himself was not only disgusted by their charges cannibalism, but had had a terrible time figuring out a believable lie to tell his mother. Yusuke Sported several new Keiko Slapmarks and Kuwabara was just upset because he'd been visiting Yukina, so had Hiei but of course the others didn't know.  
  
= = = = = = = = = = = = == = == = = = == = = = == == = = = ============================== ======= - Flashback in Hiei pov  
  
"Yukina You are so pretty that I can't describe it" The idiot bellowed (authors note. Not a Kuwabara bashing, just this is Hiei's pov)  
  
"Oh Kazuma"  
  
The romantic exchange went on until Hiei thought he would be sick. He turned to leave but saw Botan standing there watching them with a wistful look in her eyes.  
  
"What are you doing here?" He asked the bluette.  
  
"New Mission" Hiei was shocked This girl was usually a chatterbox. Something was obviously bothering her, Which was a scary enough considering Botan's usual bubblebrained attitude, But what really scared Hiei was that he cared and wanted her happy. Am I falling for the ferry onna? he asked himself. End flashback _ -------------------------------------------- ----------------------- ______-__________ --------------------- ---------------- -----  
  
Botan meanwhile was acting as bubbly as usual, but her thoughts were only scary ones. I suppose Koenma assigned me to ferry the poor girls he killed. Does that include me? I don't think I can ferry myself or Lily. HIEI STOP READING MY MIND!! She shouted angrily. All right He replied, wondering what Botan was worried about, all he had gotten was "myself or Lily". Then added, "your thoughts are boring anyway".  
  
"Hiei," she screamed "You really should come up with a better variety of insults."  
  
"Oh Yeah"  
  
The Koorime and Ferry girl went on bickering for half an hour until Yusuke Noticed and said, "Stop Flirting, you two."  
  
"We are not flirting" They said together not really meaning it, Which of coarse Kurama had to comment on, But Botan was trying so hard to remain cheerful even though she was terrified, that she didn't even hear him.  
  
It would have been awkward for Hiei, but lucky for him a weak group of demons decided to ambush the Rekai tantei. --------------------- ------------------------------------ ----------------- ------------ ------------------------- -------------------- --------  
Well you got what I consider a romantic chapter. Now the set up is done and I can start adding in the actual mission. 


	11. a sad story

Hiei wasn't sure how to reply to Kurama's teasing. Lucky for him he didn't have to. A group of demons had decided to attack the Rekai tantei. These were just low class ones so they were easy pickings, but Botan surprised everyone.  
  
Everyone thought she couldn't fight at all but she had managed to take out quite a few herself So that the boys barely even had to fight. "Whoa Botan I didn't know You could fight" Kuwabara told her in awe. Botan had slipped back into her mask of cheeriness, and was deep in thought and worry about the job ahead, so Kazuma's comment had been a surprise and had earned him a whack on the head with her oar.  
  
"That's odd" Yusuke muttered "she normally likes any compliment she gets"  
"And Botan's not someone who startles easily either" Kuwabara added"  
"Well, Kurama mused, she's been acting weird since our new foe first showed himself"  
Yusuke added "I don't think that we are in her favor or Hiei's for teasing them about their relationship."  
  
=========================================== ======================== === Meanwhile Hiei and Botan had gone a head of the rest of the group and were now sitting and waiting for the gang to catch up.  
  
Botan by this time was a whole tangled mess of fear and sadness. "Lily" she whispered as she fiddled with her hair ribbon and let a few tears slide down her cheek.  
Hiei Noticed the tears and asked her what's wrong. She answered. ============================ =================== ============== ==============  
  
I was human once, No one but my little sister would even care about me. I often got jealous seeing the very people that ran away from me for my odd looks, playing with Lily happily. Still I didn't want to deny her a good life, which is exactly what I ended up doing.  
  
Hiei interrupted her. "You were Jenna then right?" And what do you mean you ended up denying her a good life.  
  
" I ran away when I wasn't quite 16 years old, and Lily was only just 5 years old." I didn't think of my own health, just that I couldn't stay where I didn't belong any longer. I collapsed from exhaustion and when I woke up, the same demon we have to deal with had taken me to his cave. He seemed nice but he was really stealing my strength little by little.  
  
When I realized that I tried to run from him, but I'd been there for over a week already and didn't have the strength.  
  
Lily found me somehow; she came with gifts for me, a tapestry and this hair ribbon. I yelled at her to go home and scared her into hiding from me; the demon had heard the noise and moved to kill me for letting an impostor in. Lily stopped hiding and ran to stop him; he threw her into a wall. She was still alive so I went to stand guard over her. Big mistake. He simply punched me on top of the head, and I died from having my neck broken.  
  
My body trapped her where she was and woke her, just in time for Lily to get scared when he sucked her into his amulet, denying her life and death. ============================== ======================================= =====  
By now Botan was crying heavily. Hiei hugged her (ooc for him. I know, but you'd have to be completely heartless not to want to comfort someone after hearing what he's just heard), And murmured. "It's not your fault, You couldn't have known your sister would follow you."  
  
"You shouldn't talk, You don't even let your sister know that her brother's alive.  
"Point taken" By now the rest of the group was showing up, and Botan was acting as perky as ever. Hiei Sighed, Botan had needed a shoulder to cry on more than any one and yet she was acting as a rock for them to lean against. Careful Botan, he thought rocks crumble in bad weather.  
  
Botan smiled at the group, but inside she was longing to be alone with Hiei again, and wondering why she felt so good, and even comfortable without her cheery mask, when she was around him. 


	12. happy face for friends

Botan was terrified and sad, still when her friends came to her and Hiei she pasted on her cheery mask. She knew that hiding her feelings would lead to problems, but her role in the team was as the perky, slightly annoying person that everyone looked to when they needed to be cheered.  
  
"Botan why is your hair down" Yusuke asked. Botan had been fiddling with her hair ribbon as she did when she was remembering Lily, but of course she wasn't going to tell him about her past life. She saw herself as the perky person, and thought that her friends would be freaked out to learn of what she had gone through. Not to mention that telling Hiei the circumstances of her death had been painful enough and she wasn't ready to tell her story again.  
  
Hiei answered for her; "you took enough time getting here that she just wanted to fiddle with her hair while we were waiting for her.  
Botan had just finished putting her hair back up, and smiled at the Koorime in thanks.  
  
"Well we should be getting on our way" That comment came from Kurama who was always the most goal oriented of the group.  
  
"Where are we going" Kuwabara asked.  
  
Everyone sweatdropped. No one knew exactly where. Oopsies. Botan said, "I forgot to tell you that we have a demon tracking device." "According to it we are about an hour away.  
  
The hour passed rather uneventfully with everyone teasing each other as friends do. (Well Hiei was silent as always) Botan was thinking about how much more pleasant this was than being the misfit Jenna had always been. These friends accepted her as she was, but still she didn't think they'd accept her if she didn't act like a happy ditz.  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted rudely, when the group found the current cave that her killer was living in. 


	13. I can get rid of all those you care abou...

Botan sighed, now she would have to face her killer. Yusuke noticed and asked her what was wrong. "There has been a lot of death here, so I have a lot of work to do."  
Yusuke knew that his friend wasn't being truthful, but out of all his friends only Kuwabara would admit his feelings. Thinking of that friend, Yusuke realized that the redheads had gone on inside and hurried after them. Hiei asked inside her mind.  
"I only remembered my life and death, after our current foe came back, okay?" she snapped and the two ran inside.  
  
When they got there the others had only just  
managed to get the soul sucker demon awake. Botan  
watched in terror as she saw the demon use his  
amulet to freeze her friends. Well was with her,  
because he had wanted to make sure that she was  
safe, (he said it was because she had to ferry the  
others, this Demon had killed but we know better.)  
  
The others had truly been frozen in their tracks, Hiei tried to enter their minds but he couldn't penetrate the icy shield that the others had around their minds.  
  
Botan asked what he had seen, and Hiei answered "their all surrounded by ice or in other words our friends can't access their thoughts. Botan He has turned them into shadows. Being the only one left, the jaganshi rushed forward to attack and was sucked up by the amulet.  
  
Botan yelped, she was seeing a nearly exact replay of what this killer had done to Lily. Hearing her, the demon, with menace in his vice turned to her and said. "You see Jenna, I can get rid of everyone you care about" as he sucked the others up. ======= ==================== ===================== ============== Poor Botan, she is all alone now, what's a ferry girl to do? I am a Botan torturer aren't I? Lily: yeah, who gave you permission to torture my sister? Silverchild of the winds: Um I created you, so why are you talking? Lily: Because you are mean putting Jenna through that. I hate you Silverchild of the winds: To bad even though I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho I own you and now get back into my head. Lily: grudgingly obeys. 


	14. Where would your friends be without you?

Silverchild of the winds: do not own Yuu yu Hakusho. I only own my plot and Lily. Lily: And I wish you didn't own me Silverchild of the winds: Please stop popping up in these. Lily: But you forget the disclaimer otherwise.  
  
Okay... Why we sort this out why don't you read the chapter. ========================================== ===================== Botan started sobbing, the demons words rang true. She really did destroy everyone she cared about. First Lily, then all of the souls she ferried, and now her friends. Her despair now was worse than when she had had to ferry Genkai.  
  
She was so full of despair that at first she didn't notice the demon talking to her, "see Jenna where would your friends be without you there to hinder them. All you are is just a nuisance to them."  
  
Botan curled up as small as she could get in shame. Hiei and Lily who were both still trapped in his amulet, heard him, and Lily cried out "Don't believe him, I love you.  
  
But the demon had been draining off of Lily for over 900 years so Botan barely heard her. Hiei however was stronger and he told her through the mind, .  
  
He also sent her a flashback of the battle over the three artifacts. Showing clearly how Keiko would have been a demon if she hadn't interfered. And a flashback of the makai insect case. Hiei fainted afterwards having used up a lot of energy, but it didn't matter because his flashbacks had done their work and Botan remembered exactly how important she was to the team, for goodness sake, she was the one who had shown Yusuke how valuable his life was.  
  
Botan knew she had to free her friends but she wasn't any good at planning. As she struggled to think of one the demon continued talking "all you do for your friends is give them something to protect. They're done for now and all you did was cry. They would've done much better without you, Right Jenna. All the while that he was talking he had been moving closer and closer to the ferry girl. Acting on impulse she materialized her oar and struck him with it.  
  
"I'm Botan, not Jenna" She said forcefully as she hit him with her oar a second time and she continued whacking him until she was quite sure that he was out cold, and then ran to him and yanked the amulet off his neck. ========================== ======================= ========= ==== Silver child of the winds. "That was a cliffhanger wow" Lily: "what happened to me? Silverchild of the winds: Wait till the next chapter Lily: pouts and tries to get to my sewing machine. Silverchild of the winds: Back in my head, Lily obeys grudgingly. 


	15. maze

I don't own yyh I only own Lily. Lily: and your sewing machine and your clothes and your clutter of fantasy books and your diary and your. Silverchild of the winds: have you been reading my diary? Lily: Tried to, but I never went to school so I can't read and your hand writing is horrid anyway. Silver wind child (I got tired of typing full screen name): I'm getting better! Lily: she gonna be mean to me again so just go read.  
  
"What happened," Yusuke wondered out loud. Kuwabara answered "Beats me, All I remember is rushing in to attack and he pulled out some sort of necklace thingy. I don't have any clue what happened to us or why our foe is out cold."  
  
Never mind that" Kurama said and Botan "who had seen the whole thing, said "you don't want to know." Then together, "where is Hiei."  
  
The human boys were shocked that they had missed their friend's absence, but even more shocked to see Botan rushing into the amulet she was holding.  
  
"I'd expect that from Yusuke but not her" Kurama remarked. "Certainty not to Hiei, He won't let anyone help him" the spirit detective added unnecessarily  
  
+=================== ============= ============= ========= ======  
  
Meanwhile Botan realized what she had just done, and the fact that she had no clue where to go. The inside of her killer's amulet was a maze, with many twists and turns, and dead ends. (Some of those weren't only places where she would meet a wall, but housed several perished spirits).  
  
"Ugh" the bluette exclaimed though she was sure no one was listening, "Some of these must have been capture before Lily even." After her 3rd dead end, Botan was ready to give up in despair. Lucky for her, that was when she noticed that part of the wall was crumbling.  
  
After breaking through two walls the ferry girl heard a small voice that she later recognized as her sister. "Jenna, please help us"  
  
Botan asked, "Lily, why do you sound so weak and what do you mean us" "Well your short friend is here too, and I'm weak cuz that's what having energy stolen for over 900 years does to you. Augh, Ow, Jenna, Botan, or whatever your name is get us out before your friend is drained.  
  
"What about you"  
  
"Too late for me, even if He hadn't stolen so much energy, human beings do not live any where near 900 years"  
  
"Got ya, I'm coming," Botan answered her, breaking through even more walls, until she saw her sister's half dead form and Hiei unconscious but stronger than Lily. After a few minutes though Botan realized she had no clue what to do form there. === ======== =========== ========== ============== =========== ==== Meanwhile Yusuke and the two red heads noticed that the demon was waking up, and reaching g for his amulet. ==== =========== =========== ================ =========== ===== Getting to the more action parts now. And yes The secret garden is a favorite book of mine, but the maze thing is based on the play. Lily: Is that why you gave me this name Silverchild of the winds: no I needed a flower name and I like lily better than daisy. Lily: Aren't you gonna make me go back in your head? Silverchild of the winds: not this time, you're behaving yourself. 


	16. sister reunited

I don't own yyh. I only own Lily, although that idea doesn't seem to have gotten through to her and she is currently exploring everything in my house. I have to find her so why don't you read.  
  
=== ========= ========== ============= ========== ==============  
  
"Yikes!" Botan yelped as she felt the ground she was standing on shift. The demon was picking up his amulet. After she realized what was happening, Botan ran towards the center as fast as she could. When she got there, she found Lily and Hiei.  
  
The two were in a sad state. Hiei was still unconscious and Lily seemed no more than a ghost. Still she found the strength to give her big sister a hug. "Lily, you shouldn't have followed me to him. I'm Sorry" Botan said in tears  
  
"Oh Jenna, you shouldn't be so hard on yourself, I wasn't thinking and anyway it was worth it. Neither one of us stood a chance at getting a good place in the world, what with how strange we were." The little girl exclaimed. "Any that was in the past, now we have to wake your friend up.  
Botan was astounded, she couldn't believe that she had almost forgotten about Hiei but Lily was right and the most pressing task was reviving him.  
  
Botan and Lily tried to wake Hiei but being sucked up for energy was more tiring than using the black dragon. Finally exasperated, Botan said loudly, "If he doesn't wake up soon I am going to have to tell Yukina who Hiei really is"  
  
That worked, the flame koorime was up and ready to strangle her within a few seconds, but couldn't because the ferry girl was hugging him.  
  
Lily may have been inside the amulet for 900 years but she was still a five year old.  
  
She started chanting the old rhyme "Hiei and Jenna Sitting in a tree..... But she didn't get far before the ground started to shake again, this time because the demon had entered his necklace.  
  
He got to the center quickly and immediately started pressing attack.  
  
But the trio was willing to fight. "It seems that we have an interesting battle ahead" Hiei remarked. == === = == = = == = ============== ================ ==== I didn't write for a while but I was busy getting back into the school routine. Lily comes tearing into the room screaming. Silverchild of the winds: Oh so that's where you are. Lily: "Augh it's a monster" Me: "No silly head that's my dog." A white toy poodle is begging her to throw a stuffed animal for her. I take the toy and throw it and then try to keep Lily from scaring the other one. 


	17. Battle

Disclaimer I don't own yyh, only Lily. Lily: Good thing too, you torture us. Me: Yep.  
  
Last time The sisters had been in a similar situation it had turned out to be fatal, this time Lily and Botan were determined to at least put up a fight, besides, Hiei was here to help them.  
  
That didn't mean that zit wasn't terrifying to see the demon who had given them such suffering, approach them with nearly the same expression he had worn the night that Jenna had died. Lily was especially terrified, she'd been trapped and tortured by him for 900 years, but all three managed to stand ground.  
  
The demon attacked first. He let out a wave of energy that looked similar to the spirit gun. Botan summoned her oar to use as a shield and found herself being sucked in to a vortex. Hiei and Lily thought that she was lost to them, but the ferry girl managed to get in a hit that at least distracted him while Hiei moved in and struck with his sword. Hiei didn't do much damage but did cause a pinprick of pain that sent Botan flying away from her killer.  
  
Lily ran to her sister as fast as she could but even as a ghost, her layers of petticoats got in the way. Botan woke up when Lily tripped into her. She checked her injuries and found that she'd been lucky enough to lad from a harsh throw with only her left arm broken.  
  
She ignored the injury and helped her sister strip down her layers of petticoats until all that was left was simply the skirt on top. === ======= ============== ============== =========== ======= ==== Flash back 3 year old Lily cried out loud after her father had beaten both girls after coming home quite drunk. She found herself longing for her sister but of course Jenna never got out as easily as she did. She ripped her skirts down to simply the threads in a nervous habit, and by the time Jenna got through the little girls was quite tangled. === ---- --------------------- ---------------------------- --------------- ------- -------------------- Lily Giggled at the memory of haw often after that she and Jenna would play by tangling each other or some one else in the threads. She told Botan her idea that perhaps they could Tangle the demon. Botan agreed, but she reminded Lily that they had to be careful not to catch Hiei, who was still fighting to fast for them to see.  
  
After a while of only managing pinprick the battle mood wore of the flame koorime=e enough to have him worry about the ferry girl. He'd seen her go flying and then had pretty much allowed battle fury to take over. Hiei had to look for the girls while fighting so it took him quite awhile to find them and by then, the sisters had managed to get enough thread and were starting to tangle the demon up in them. Hiei barely managed to avoid getting tangled.  
  
And He and Botan were thrown out of the amulet, and back into the cave, which was starting to collapse thanks to a spirit gun fired at the ceiling in frustration. The others were quite relieved to see their friends get out and they started to run, the amulet clutched tightly in Botan's uninjured arm. 


	18. Broken promise

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH I only own Lily. Lily: Why are you so mean to me then? Silverchild of the winds. Because it fits the plot.  
  
The cave collapsed barely a second after the group had gotten out. The demons body stayed trapped inside. "I think the threat has passed" Kurama remarked.  
  
"Yea" Kuwabara added "there's no way he could have survived that.  
  
Botan however wasn't sure. She hadn't let go of the amulet and could feel the evil energy inside of it. She kept her happy face on and let the others think she was as glad as they were. Kurama got to her and healed her arm with his plants.  
  
The ferry girl knew that the demon trapped inside was still a threat. She could feel him taking even more of her sister's energy. She waited until Kurama had turned away from her and then bolted.  
  
Botan kept running until she couldn't run further. The amulet felt hot in her hand, the demon was a bout ready to break out. The ferry girl found a hard rock that was conveniently placed near by and raised her arm to destroy the amulet. ************** ********************** ***************** ****************  
  
Their father had been drunk yet again. This time though it seemed Lily was the one he was attacking. Jenna moved towards him and grabbed Lily's arms to pull her free. "Oh Jenna" Lily sobbed "I don't know what I'd do without you". "Don't worry, I'll always protect you" Jenna promised. End flashback. ********************** ********************** *********** ******** * Botan stopped her movements. She knew that destroying the Amulet would also destroy Lily. The consequences of letting the demon out were huge, but she wasn't sure she could kill her sister.  
  
After a moment of contemplating, Botan took the rock and smashed the amulet. Hiei had followed gone after her as soon as he realized she was gone, and arrived in time to hear her whisper. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise"  
  
Silverchild of the winds.: The fic is not over, but Lilys part as more than memory is. Lily: What?! Me: You are dead. Lily: Bye then. "Leaves in a huff. 


	19. new attacker

Silverchild of the winds: I don't own Yyh I only own Lily, who annoys the heck out of me By talking to much, but when someone's brought to a time era where s/he get liberties unavailable in the past, S/he abuses that right.  
  
------------------------------------------- --------------------------- ---- -------------------- --- I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise," The bluette said again, silent tears streaming down her face. "What promise" Hiei asked her.  
  
"I told Lily I'd always protect her," Botan showed him the crushed amulet. "Now I destroyed her."  
  
"You had to"  
  
This time she got angry. "I know that, I know there would be no hope for her, but you out of all people should know how hard it is to kill your little sister"  
  
A new voice was heard, "So the little wench is a murderer, yes?" Another Yokai stepped out from the shadows. Botan was silent, she was wondering if she was such herself. All the curses from grieving families were coming back to her.  
  
"Who in the worlds are you" Hiei demanded  
  
The Newcomer spoke again "That does not matter, Why do you devote yourself to a group of people who don't care what's happening to you, Why I bet that your so-called friends are actually happy that you left."  
  
The flame Koorime's resolve weakened, He gave Botan a glance as if asking if these words were true.  
  
The attacker did not fail to notice it. No use loving a chit like her, she'll abandon you as soon as she finds someone else.  
  
Botan saw that Hiei was losing his cool and starting to doubt himself.  
  
She tried to move over to him, but found that she was bound by some sort of invisible cord. The girl struggled to break free and succeeded just when the new demon was preparing to attack Hiei and her. Botan knew she had to attack, but she had used up all her strength breaking out of her bindings. ========== ================================ ==================== I can't believe they would just disappear like that, Yusuke muttered for the 34th time since Kuwabara had noticed Hiei and Botan missing. The taller punk had given up searching and demanded to know why Kurama hadn't noticed them gone before. "How am I supposed to know, Hiei always wanders off" The fox snapped in a very not Kurama style. "What of Botan," this was Yusuke. "I know she had to ferry the poor girls our foe attacked, but I'd think she should be back in the next hour or so".  
  
After a few minutes of turning their worries into arguments the Human parts (or half human on Kurama's part) of the Rekai Tantai dropped the fights and started to search for 2 friends. Friends I might add that are not having a pleasant time at all. =========== ========== ======== ======= ===== = = = = == = = = == Silverchild of the winds: Did you like it. Lily: No Me: Of course you didn't I killed you, so why are you still here. Lily: People say that being killed is being sent back to your maker, and you made me so here I am. Me: Okay, note to self, "Next time do not kill off chatty five year old oc.  
  
Lily: Hey why are so unfair to me, you're mean you don't let me read your books use your computer or sewing machine, You keep monsters in your house.............. goes on with long list of complaints, runs out and start talking about anything she sees. Me: that's why. 


	20. Botan fights back

Warning slight HB. Disclaimer, I don't own YYH. I do own Lily.  
  
=========================== ===================== ========= = Botan slowly got to her feet. The new demon was still talking, "see Hiei, None of your friends would even care for you as more than a fighter." Hiei was weakening; the demon was voicing the thought that Hiei had always been tortured by.  
  
As Hiei was swallowing what their new foe was saying, it was Botan who noticed that the newcomer was slowly advancing upon the smaller demon and getting ready to eat him. (A.N. sorry After reading 3 of the early animorphs books in 2 days, I sort of have the evil creatures attack in the matter of Visser 3, that means eating my heroes.)  
  
The ferry girl was exhausted, but she forgot that when she saw just how close to Hiei the newcomer had come. She started to throw more rocks at the demon, and his attention turned to her.  
  
The demon headed toward her. He played the same mind games that he had with Hiei. "Wench, how many of your friends are you going to end up killing? You know how hard it is going to be for you to ferry them, why don't you join me now and be free of all the guilt."  
  
If the demon had Tortured her like this before he put the bindings on her, Botan would have listened and thought him right. As it was, Botan was too sapped of energy to even think about what he was saying. She was concerned only with keeping Hiei and herself alive. (So to speak) This time she didn't even bother with the rocks, instead she used the last of her energy to materialize her bat. Even Botan was smart enough to know that the group could beat him easily if he didn't use the mind games.  
  
The demon lost consciousness when Botan gave him a hard whack on the head. She fainted right after seeing Hiei get up to finish the job. Hiei killed the attacker, and then simply ran to the ground where Botan had fallen. After making sure that she was alright, the flame koorime settled down to keep watch over her. "Thank you." he whispered.  
  
================= ============== ============= =========== ======= "Aww how sweet" Yusuke thought as he watched the scene that was going on. Obviously his friends had been involved in a battle, but Yusuke had missed it. He was glad that the others weren't there with him. Kazuma would never let Hiei live this down.  
  
```````````````` ===== ==================== =============== === Silverchild of the winds: do you like the story. Flames for writing accepted but if you don't like the coupling don't read. That's it for the fighting. Lily: But not the story, right? Me: What do you care? I killed you off 2 chapters ago. Lily: Oh. (Stomps off) 


	21. secrets, like the rest of us

Silverchild of the winds: I don't Own Yu Yu Hakusho. Lily: And that's a good thing. Silverchild of the winds" Why? Lily: Cuz you would make it like a soap opera.  
  
Silverchild of the winds: It already sort of is, What With the twin thing  
  
The epidemic in the town was picking off more and more people everyday. The priest was performing several funerals all at once. A ten year old girl stayed close to her pregnant mother's side. The girl, Jenna, was normally happy and loud but today she was sobbing uncontrollably. "Trisha" she cried over and over.  
  
The priest upon hearing Jenna's cries for her friend, Took the opportunity too blame the recent deaths on the girl who was considered a demons child. The priest ordered the strongest men to lash the girl. The men spared her not one way of torture. By the time Jenna's tormentors let go she was bruised and battered and believed that the priest was right in calling her a murderer.  
  
Other such memories including the most recent ones which had destroyed Lily flooded Botan's dreams. Yusuke stepped out of his hiding place when he noticed how hard she was shaking.  
"What's wrong with her?" The spirit detective asked of Hiei. Yusuke hadn't really been expecting an answer, so he was rather surprised when Hiei answered.  
  
"She has her secrets, like all of us"  
  
Botan regained consciousness around then. "Lily I'm sorry" she whispered weakly.  
  
"We wouldn't be alive if you hadn't done what you did" Hiei tried to comfort her. "I know that" she said with all the force she could muster, Still I promised Lily that I would protect her, and I ended up killing her. I know I had to but it still feel like murder."  
  
"Botan, I don't think that I know anyone else brave enough to admit both" Yusuke uttered on of the smartest things that had come from his mouth, then ruined the mood by asking, "Who's Lily?"  
  
Silverchild of the winds: another chapter Lily: without me Me: Lily, get used to it. 


	22. story told

Silverchild of the winds: Here is another chapter. Lily: that does not fit the title Silverchild of the winds: Has the story ever? Lily: not since I came in. Silverchild of the winds: So why are you bithering me about it now. Lily: You created me, Silver child of the winds: I don't own YYH, I do own Lily.  
  
============================= ===================== ========= === "Who's Lily" Yusuke asked again.  
  
"My sister" Botan answered. Then she told him the whole story. "I ran away form my birth village. The demon we went against on this mission took me in and stole my strength. I hadn't thought that anyone would care, but my sister found me two weeks later. Lily was better accepted then I was. She didn't look as odd, and she had skill at the loom. She wove my hair ribbon as a gift; I guess she was trying to bribe me to come back. By the time she found me, I knew that I didn't have much life left in me. I tried to get her to go, but a yelling match woke up the demon and he absorbed her in his necklace right after killing me."  
  
Yusuke was shocked. Botan had felt the same way about her life as he had about his, before the ferry girl had shown him how much people cared for him.  
  
"He drew off of her energy until I finished them both off. I crushed the necklace so that he couldn't get out. I know it killed him and Lily as well. I killed my own little sister." Botan's voice had dropped down to a whisper, and she fainted again as soon as her story was finished. Botan had told the whole story in a tone that clearly implied self loathing, but the boys she told it to were impressed by her strength.  
  
"I don't think I would be strong enough to sacrifice Keiko for the good of the world." Yusuke said.  
  
"Most of our group wouldn't kill our loved ones for the sake of all three worlds." Hiei agreed, moving closer to the unconscious ferry girl. He gave her hand a squeeze of comfort although he knew she wouldn't feel it. "I'm just glad that she didn't break down when we were in immediate danger. I would have been eaten by now if she had."  
  
Yusuke's eyes widened in surprise, "You're admitting to some weakness?"  
"Hn"  
"Should have known I'd get that from you. How are we going to explain Why Botan didn't ferry the poor girls he killed to Koenma?" + + + ++= +++++++++++++ ++++++++++++++++= --------------------------- ======== I know Hiei is ooc, sorry bout that. Botan is also ooc but what do you expect from the streesful mission she's just been through. 


	23. from distressed to actress

Disclaimer. I do not own yyh.  
  
================================== ============== ======== ==== == "I hope Yusuke is having better luck then we are. This Search seems to be rather fruitless." Kurama remarked, as he and Kuwabara beheaded yet another demon.  
  
The taller nodded his head in agreement, he started to say, "Koenma's gonna kill us if we don't fin..." He fell silent mid-word.  
  
"What is wrong?"  
"I sense Hiei" Neither Kurama nor Kazuma spoke after that, they just ran towards their friends. ======================================= ==================== === It was too quiet for Yusuke. The only sound in the area came from Botan when she would scream from a nightmare. Hiei was unsuccessfully (and silently) trying to comfort her. Yusuke couldn't help noticing the irony of the situation, Hiei had come closer to destroying* his assistant than anyone else they had fought.  
The irony had been noticed half an hour ago, and now he could no longer stand the silence. Botan screamed in her sleep once again and that brought the redheads strait to her. In fact................  
  
Kuwabara fell to ground with a thud. "You stepped on me!!" Botan's voice was filled with anger and she had hit him as hard as she could in her weakened state. She wasn't that mad but she had to play her part, and that was to overreact to what people did to her and forget it seconds later. "Oh sorry" she said in her bubbly voice. "I'm not much of a morning person, did I hurt you? Let me check." She tried to get to her feet and would have fallen if Hiei hadn't caught her. "I guess I was hurt more than I thought," She laughed and then fainted again.  
  
"Baka ferry onna." Hiei voiced, but the whole group could tell that the flame koorime didn't mean it because he was holding her affectionately at the same time.  
  
It would have been a convenient time for Kuwabara to tease Hiei, but for once in his life the human boy kept his mouth shut. ----------------------- ----------------------- ---------------------------- ============== ==== Lily: I guess I'm dead and forgotten now. Me: It took you long enough to catch on. Lily: Hey!!! Me: Go to my room I have a present for you there. To readers: I apologize for lack of excitement but I'm trying to wind this story down. Don't worry it has at least 2 chappies left. *I know destroyed is a weak word, but I don't think that you can kill a ghost. 


	24. acting is tiring

Disclaimer. I do not own Yyh.  
  
Botan managed to force her self awake almost immediately. Hiei was still holding her, but everyone else was gone. "Where are the others?" she asked "They went to get dinner or something like that." Hiei fell silent. Botan finally realized that Hiei was holding her and she had to ask/ "Why are you still holding me?" "I couldn't get out from under you" Was hiei's cover answer. "Liar." Botan hadn't put her cheery mask on, so she could recognize her friend's lies. But she still got up and found a new place to sit.  
Kuwabara was the first o return to the camp area. Botan immediately turned to her cheery self and complimented him on the food he brought back.  
  
Yusuke and Kurama returned seconds later. After eating the group took off towards the portal. Hiei and Kazuma fought even more than they normally did, the tall boy finally started with romance jokes. "So shorty, I guess you got Botan going' good on ya, Huh?  
  
"Like you'd ever move if it meant hurting a friend.  
  
"Oh yeah?"  
  
They continued bickering that way. A different girl would have been embarrassed, but Botan was grateful for the banter. It distracted her form thinking of Lily. She also used the fight as a basis for her ditz act.  
  
"What are they talking about" she asked the silent Kurama. "You" She meowed, and her candy purple eyes stayed as cheerful as ever.  
  
Yusuke stayed silent, watching his team. He was able to see that Botan was putting to much effort into the bubble brain act, and she was weakening rapidly. By the time they reached the portal everyone could see that the ferry girl had no energy left although she revealed none of the torture she put herself through from the whole thing with Lily. ============================ ---------------------------- 0----------------- ----- ============= I know it lacked excitement but I had to put in some sort of chapter about her act. 


	25. out of Makai

I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho. ================ ====================== =========== ===== = Three hours after leaving camp the Reakai Tantei glimpsed the portal out of Makai. A Makai sunset was followed by early dark, and the group had been ambushed by low class demons enough times to be completely exhausted.  
  
Botan was grateful that all the others were tired. It kept them from noticing how worn she was. Not true, I know "Hiei, Thoughts are supposed to be private" Botan told him using her normal hyper, bubble brain voice. She nearly fell over from putting so much energy in her voice when she could barely stand. So I am not justified in being concerned for you? she considered those words. I saw you stumble he added, And you don't have to keep up your act when it can kill you Botan decided to try to talk back in thought speak. To her surprise it worked. You should not preach against hiding your feelings  
  
If the exchange between Hiei and Botan had gone on any longer, the others would have no doubt commented on it. They were saved the embarrassment because the group reached the portal. It was locked of course, (they don't want demons traveling all over) and Botan barely managed to summon enough energy to open it before she fainted again.  
  
Yusuke took her back to his house, Hiei followed. Kuwabara went home, and Kurama got the task of explaining what had happened to Koenma. They chose Kurama because he was the only person of the group who had any amount of tact, and Koenma was bound to be upset with Botan not ferrying the other girls she had been sent for. Kurama actually was almost ready to agree with Koenma for being upset, because when the spirit detective had sent him, Yusuke overlooked the fact that Kurama didn't know what had been going on with Jenna and Lily although he had puzzled out who Jenna was.  
++++++++++++++ ++===================== =============== === ==== = Did you like it? I won't be able to write for a while. I have a trip to Florida coming up. The thought speak idea is loosely based on Animorphs. 


	26. shattered steroetype

Yusuke and the group had predicted that Koenma would be upset with Botan's absence. Understatement of the century. The demigod had found other ferry girl to take the killers victims to heaven, but Koenma went crazy whenever things didn't go exactly as planed.  
  
When Kurama arrived in Reakai he was treated to a scene of pure chaos. Koenma had already scattered his paper work in rage and was in the midst of a temper tantrum that would put a two year old Martha Stewart on steroids to shame. Toddler fists and legs were pounding all over the desk and Koenma shouted out "This place is impossible to manage without Botan here!"  
  
It was his tantrum that caused the chaos rather than her absence but when George said so Koenma gave him a punishment. It was all Kurama could do not to laugh, as he stepped up to the demigod and gave the best excuse he could think of. "She works herself too hard, and it is taking a toll on her health." Koenma's tantrum stopped immediately, "Botan is a ghost, she can't fall ill or anything like that." The demigod had gone all princely in such a quick time that Kurama actually did laugh before explaining that Botan had used up all her energy by the time they got to the portal. Koenma let him go, and Kurama headed home wondering why Hiei hadn't been sent to explain, the flame koorime was the only group member who wouldn't have laughed at Koenma's absence. =========== ========== =============== ============= ========= == Meanwhile Yusuke managed to get his ferry girl friend on to the couch. The task took sometime since she kept pushing away as if he was some sort of horror from a nightmare. Actually Yusuke knew that was exactly what she thought; Hiei had needed to use his telepathy to get her to stop fighting them. They'd pushed Botan's Nightmare/memories to the back of her head but not before Hiei had gotten scary glimpse of her daily life, or really Jenna's dad. *** ******** ********* ***** ***** * * ********** ***** * The twelve year old bluette was sitting down on her favorite thinking rock wondering what had happened to her nice daddy. He had always been peasant and fun before, but now she ached all over from his slaps, and even Lily had been slapped and she was hardly even two years old. "It happened the day uncle died" she thought "Daddy always used to laugh when I was accused of cursing the town and making people die, but when it turned to his brother he needs someone to blame, And how does anyone know I'm not a curse anyway." Jenna resolved to be strong and never let anyone know when he was hurt for her family's sake. She didn't notice the boys creeping our on her until it was too late, they pushed her and she fell towards the water. *** ************** ********************** ****************** ****** * * The spirit detective stopped looking at Botan long enough to noticed that the flame koorime was watching her dreams in horror. He put a hand On Hiei's shoulder and shook the forbidden child just hard enough to pull him out of her dreams.  
  
Hiei kept reflecting on what he had learned of Botan in the past day. The ditz image of her had drowned, and been replaced by a mix of pity and admiration. But What Hiei was amazed by was similar he and Botan really were at least in terms of hiding pain.  
  
"This feels wrong" Yusuke said, causing Hiei to startle, "I mean for some reason it feels strange to be caring for Botan out of everyone.  
"That's because she cares for the rest of us when we get hurt. It's not easy to have our roles reversed."  
"Hiei, thanks for clearing that" "Hn" = ======================= ===================== =============== = Well that is the longest chapter I have written, it is also what I planned for chapter 24 but fist better here. I don't' want to ad a separator to the top so the disclaimer is here. I do not own yyh 


	27. Sincere smiles

The chapter is late but I got swamped with homework and play practice. I do not own Yu you hakusho. ========================== =========================== ======= Botan woke up the next morning with her energy and hunger refreshed. She just missed seeing Hiei leave the house as she got off the couch and went to get something to eat. The house was empty so she could only assume that Yusuke had left for school or something.  
  
"Well at least he left some food out this morning" the ferry girl said to herself. After Botan had satisfied her hunger, her grief for Lily came back full force.  
"Sorry sis," she whispered and then stepped outside.  
  
The blue haired girl walked around the streets without a destination in mind as she and her parents had done so many times before Lily had been born. Tears fell from her eyes as Botan or Jenna, she wasn't sure which, began to remember that fateful day. ================== ==================== ================== ======  
It was October and the small town where Jenna lived was in a frenzy to prepare for winter. All the children were happily gathering what food they could and for once Jenna had no superstitious eyes upon her and the farmwives were actually happy to have her sharp eyes to help find the last crops.  
Her spirits were high when Jenna walked in the door of her family's small hut but her spirits were dashed before the hour ended.  
  
Lily had already been born but it had taken quite a toll on the health of their mother. The woman pulled through but she always tired easily and could never have another child. Lily only saw the strict housewife and cruel monster her parents had become, not the happy loving couple Jenna had always known. "I am not Jenna anymore And Lily didn't have much of a chance of happiness at life anyway" Botan thought to herself. But she had known that much since the start, what bothered her was how easily she had gotten off and how little Lily was when she was captured. += +++++++++++++++++++++++ ======================= =======  
  
Botan was walking without a destination but she wasn't all that surprised when she entered Hiei's park. "Lily again?" she nodded, and Hiei continued, "She got to heaven all right. " "How do you know?"  
  
"Kurama said he ran into a little girl who fit her description, and she was still holding the scraps from her skirts."  
  
Botan took comfort in Hiei's words; she knew that everyone in heaven would get another chance at life, just not for a long time. Even so, "I killed my little sister." Hiei left his branch and landed besides her. She didn't have any way to live, I mean Lily had been drained for so long that she couldn't fend for herself for even an hour and she didn't have a living family either."  
  
Last time Botan had heard someone say those words they did nothing to stop her guilt, this time however, she resolved to take her sister to meet their parents, That way Lily would know a loving family, but for now Botan was just relieved to have a way to help her sister. She was also enjoying Hiei's company.  
  
And he was enjoying hers. The couple moved to of the woods area and down to the stream. They discussed their homelands for awhile then just sat in a companionable silence. Hiei thought what Botan said, "It feels nice to be here and not hiding under masks."  
  
They each wore a genuine smile. +=================================== ===================== ===== This is the last prose chapter, I'll put a poem here if I can. I want people to vote on whether to do a sequel to this mainly involving Hiei. A Yusuke Fic Non romantic Botan (originally intended on this one but making it an Hb got a lot more reviews) Or an Animorphs crossover. 


	28. set up for snow

Botan was back at work the week after the encounter with her killer. She had actually wanted to go back right away, but Yusuke and the others wouldn't let her. Being the type of girl who threw herself into her work the week would have been torture, if it weren't for one thing.  
  
Hiei.  
  
The ferry girl and the fire demon had continued to pass time together in the park as they had that first day. They rarely talked but it just felt nice to sit together and be themselves. Botan was reflecting on that as she once again began her work as the grim Reaper.  
  
A smile came to her lips as she remembered the morning, Hiei had put on his emotionless facial mask but she had had to promise to come see him there at least twice a week before he would let her go. It took less than two weeks for life to return to normal afterwards, well normal except for the time that Hiei and Botan spent together.  
  
Then Botan had to give the Reakai Tantei their next task, which took place in the icy wasteland, area that Hiei had been born in. The fire demon acted just as icy as usual but everyone could tell that he was scared.  
  
Botan had found her cheery mask hard to drop so it was in that guise that she joked, "Well at least Little sisters aren't involved this time."  
  
Everyone sweat dropped but Hiei answered. That doesn't make it any easier, for all I know I need to kill the people I grew up with!! ----------------- ---------------- -------------------------- -------------- ---- ---------- ----- - - - - - -  
  
I guess that the next fic is on Hiei. I had to do this , cuz the next story won't make sense without this set up. I do not own YYH. 


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